State of the State Address Governor Mark Dayton: Wednesday, February 09, 2011
State of the State Address Governor Mark Dayton: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 A FIVE-POINT PLAN FOR MINNESOTA’S FUTURE PROSPERITY On January 29, 2002, as a Minnesota Senator, I attended President George W. Bush’s first State of the Union address. It occurred just four months after the terrible events of September 11, 2001. He began with these words. “As we gather tonight, our nation is at war, our economy is in recession and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger.” The President’s words rang true. On the night of 9/11, I had joined with other Members of Congress on the steps of the United States Capitol, which had been spared destruction that day by the heroic actions of passengers aboard United Flight #93, led by Minnesota native Thomas Burnet, Jr. We gathered, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans. We wanted to show our nation and the world that, despite the day’s horrors, our country stood strong, our leaders were united, and our government was working . together. A few days later, we went together to the Pentagon and to Ground Zero. Then I traveled with a small bi-partisan group of Senators to Afghanistan, just after American forces had routed the Taliban and al Qaeda and reopened the American Embassy, though still surrounded by razor wire and Marines. So, when I heard the President’s words, “The state of our union has never been stronger,”I agreed that 9/11’s disaster had united our country, our citizens, and our leaders.
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